On Saturday, the 11th of September, the second annual Pukka Picnic was held. From the start, the intention was for the picnic to be repeated annually. With a second edition of the “Boaters, Bubbly and Belles” bash now under our belt, that ambition appears a little closer to being realised.
The first Pukka Picnic was held, by sheer luck, during a brief period of relaxation in the rules on public gatherings, last year, and perhaps was more poignant for that. Restrictions had been entirely lifted, this time around but two elements of continuity could be found. Firstly, the picnic was held on the commodious but fairly sheltered Daffodil Lawn of Holland Park. Secondly, we were blessed with very amiable weather.
For those who have been unable to attend yet, the idea of the Pukka Picnic is simply to gather a goodly number of vintage and ‘chappist’ aficionados for one of the last jaunts of the Boater Season. It is not a strictly New Sheridan Club event but, happily, the Sheridanite contingent was extremely well represented. At the same time, a few newcomers were spotted and as always it is a pleasure to expand the range of acquaintances among such a stylish, champagne-quaffing set. Here at Wonderland City, we want to promote greater aggregation adn mutual recognition within the wider vintage-chappist-stylish ‘community’.
Due to the crass absent-mindedness of the organiser, the Pukka Picnic coincided with the second evening of the re-opening of the Candlelight Club. We were very gratified to see that a number of picnic attendees made it to that event, too, displaying a Brideshead Revisited-level of commitment to partying and joining several other Sheridanites in welcoming back Prohibition-era excess.
